Short Rib and Barley Stew

Hearty winter noms. Great for a crowd. Even better leftover.

Prep:

• Dice 3 carrots, 3 stalks of celery, and 1 white onion. Wash and halve lengthwise 8 oz of button mushrooms.

• Drain and chop 14.5 oz can of whole tomatoes

• Measure out 1 cup of pearl barley

• Cube up 2 lbs of boneless short rib to bite sized pieces and salt and pepper heavily while you heat up a dutch oven over high heat

  Cook:

• Add a bit of neutral, high smoke point oil to the pot. Heat up the oil to a shimmer. Sear the beef and brown all over. The less you move it, the better it browns. Remove and put aside

• Toss the shrooms in the pot and let them cook for 5-7 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. A few dashes of soy sauce or more oil is optional.

• Add the carrots, celery, and onion in the pot. Stir regularly for 4-5 minutes until the veggies soften slightly and begin to brown

• Add in 1 tsp of Marmite (optional if you don’t have it), 2 tsp of soy sauce, and 1+ tbsp of tomato paste. Let the tomato paste sit in contact with the dutch oven for 30 seconds to caramelize before stirring the full mixture.

• Pour in 4 cups of chicken stock and stir, scraping up the fond from the bottom of the pan.

• Add in chopped tomatoes, barley, 2 bay leaves, and the beef. Add in desired herbs: I like a couple pinches of dried oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Stir.

• Reduce heat to simmer and cover with lid slightly cracked. Cook for 2 - 2.5 hours, stirring occasionally.

• Check that the beef is tender. Take a slurp and add salt and pepper to taste.

  Options:

• Add in torn up kale for a couple of minutes to be wilted at the very end before serving

• Add more stock, shifting this from a stew to a soup

• Add chunks of potatoes with the veggies

• Add in drained canned corn

  Sides:

• I like to pair with a caesar salad and some crusty baguette for dipping